|
Thought I would finalize this thread I started, and give a quick overview of what I purchased and thoughts so far.
I purchased 2017 Carbon Black 540i M-Sport RWD about 3 months ago. During my searching and flip flopping on options, I started to feel the BMW purist in me take over and became more obsessed with options that felt special to me. Without getting too lengthy here are my thoughts/rationalizations on each option:
Color: Carbon Black - felt like a "true" BMW color (impossible to keep clean)
Sport Seats vs. Comfort Seats: Sport Seats - I sat in both. I was very set on getting the comfort seats, the one I purchased has the sport seats. I am 100% happy with them. I understand the comfort seats are top notch, but if you go sit in a Honda or Toyota, you'll realize that the sport seats are still miles above other brands offerings.
Technology, Napa Leather, Stereo System: Driving Assistance Plus, 360 camera, Dakota Leather, Harmon Kardon - I didn't really care much on how these options swung either way. I will say the dakota leather is really care free, and as a daily driver, I appreciate that. The driver assistance plus is neat and I like adaptive cruise, but don't really use LCA. 360 cam is the same way. It's neat, but don't need it. I'm also not really an audiophile, so I appreciate the Harmon Kardon system, but I never tested out the standard HiFi system to know the difference.
Xdrive vs. RWD: This and the M sport package were tied together for me. In my messed up logic, if I was going M sport, I was going rear wheel drive. If I go Xdrive, I go luxury line. Going RWD from a numbers perspective is simple to explain as in slightly better MPG, lower curb weight (3,700lbs i think?), and less complexity in the drivetrain. Xdrive launches better. I have a Landcruiser for the crazy winter days, but I fully intend on running this car most of the winter when the roads are clear (with some sort of all weather/winter tire setup). My other concern with Xdrive is that I would get horsepower hungry and keep modifying the B58 for more power. From a non-numbers perspective... RWD and a BMW with an inline 6 just feels right.
M Sport vs Non M Sport: M Sport - The M sport suspension reviews on this forum had me very worried, but I wanted the lower stance from the factory. The car has 19" wheels with non-runflat tires and I can say to anyone debating this.. The M sport suspension is fantastic. I'm incredibly happy with it. It's not abusive and handles so tightly. I live in Wisconsin, the roads are always under construction, and I never feel like the suspension is too firm, and yet when I'm on a back country road, it's planted and ready to turn in fast. Also, the M sport brakes are more than enough brakes. Not sure if they are needed. My Cayenne turbo needed every bit of the big brakes that came with it. The M sport brakes (for spirited driving, not track use) are more than enough.
To sum it up. I have no regrets. It's a great car. I think the 540i is an exceptional value in the market right now. The M340i is 15k to 20k more. The f30 340i/440i for some reason demands a heavy premium and is sometimes 10k more for a car that isn't built as nicely as the G30. I'm getting excellent MPG, it's fast and fun enough to keep me smiling. Couldn't be happier.
|